Inglewood Public Library
Recommended Reading

"Feelings and Real-Life Experiences:
A Booklist for Young Children"

These books can be found in the "Picture Book" area, shelved alphabetically by the last name of the author. The list is divided into the following categories:

Adoption Bedtime Grief Moods Sibling Rivalry
Anger Fear Growing Up Self-Esteem Teasing and Bullies
Bad Days Friendship Misbehavior Separation Anxiety  

ADOPTION
Sisters by Judith Caseley Caseley, Judith
SISTERS
Having recently been adopted, Kika is introduced to a whole new world filled with new people, new places, and a new language and so it is a good thing that her new sister, Melissa, is eagerly there to help guide her through it all--just like a real sister is expected to do!
Over the Moon: An Adoption Tale by Karen Katz Katz, Karen
OVER THE MOON: AN ADOPTION TALE
A loving couple dream of a baby born far away and know that this is the baby they have been waiting to adopt.
Pablo's Tree by Pat Mora Mora, Pat
PABLO'S TREE
Each year on his birthday, a young Mexican American boy looks forward to seeing how his grandfather has decorated the tree he planted on the day the boy was adopted.
Through Moon and Stars and Night Skies by Ann Turner Turner, Ann
THROUGH MOON AND STARS AND NIGHT SKIES
A little boy who has been adopted remembers how he had once had no parents and had lived in a far-off land until his new parents sent for him and brought him to their little white house with a green tree.

ANGER
When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang Bang, Molly
WHEN SOPHIE GETS ANGRY, REALLY, REALLY ANGRY
A young girl is upset and doesn't know how to manage her anger but takes the time to cool off and regain her composure
.
The One Pig with Horns by
Laurent de Brunhoff
Brunhoff, Laurent de
THE ONE PIG WITH HORNS

A vain pig who puts horns on his forehead to look as handsome as a bull literally loses his head when he gets angry and has a hard time getting it back.
Mean Soup by Betsy Everitt Everitt, Betsy
MEAN SOUP
After a bad day, Horace comes home feeling mean and grumpy, but his mother has a creative cure that brings a smile to even the crankiest readers.
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes Henkes, Kevin
LILLY'S PURPLE PLASTIC PURSE
Lilly loves everything about school, especially her teacher, but when he asks her to wait a while before showing her new purse, she does something for which she is very sorry later.
Goldie is Mad by Margie Palatini Palatini, Margie
GOLDIE IS MAD
A little girl is very upset when her baby brother drools on her doll, but during a time-out, she thinks of some of the things she likes about her brother.
Sometimes I'm Bombaloo by Rachel Vail Vail, Rachel
SOMETIMES I'M BOMBALOO
When Katie Honors feels angry and out of control, her mother helps her to be herself again.

BAD DAYS
Mean Soup by Betsy Everitt Everitt, Betsy
MEAN SOUP
A boy and his mother chase the blues away after a hard day at school by making "mean soup."
Giff, Patricia Reilly
TODAY WAS A TERRIBLE DAY
Follows the humorous mishaps of a second grader who is learning to read.
Viorst, Judith
ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY
On a day when everything goes wrong for him, Alexander is consoled by the thought that other people have bad days too.

BEDTIME
Mayer, Mercer
THERE'S A NIGHTMARE IN MY CLOSET
At bedtime a boy confronts the nightmare in his closet and finds him not so terrifying after all.
Rathmann, Peggy
10 MINUTES TILL BEDTIME
A child's hamster leads an increasingly large group of hamsters on a tour of the child's house, while the child's father counts down the minutes to bedtime.

FEAR
Gackenbach, Dick
HARRY AND THE TERRIBLE WHATZIT
When his mother goes to the cellar and doesn't return right away, Harry goes down to search for her and confronts the terrible two-headed Whatzit.
Henkes, Kevin
WEMBERLY WORRIED
A mouse named Wemberly, who worries about everything, finds that she has a whole list of things to worry about when she faces the first day of nursery school.

FRIENDSHIP
Aliki
BEST FRIENDS TOGETHER AGAIN
When Robert's best friend Peter, who moved away, comes back to visit, various emotions surface, but mostly pleasure -- which all the old friends share.
Fox. Mem
WILFRID GORDON MCDONALD PARTRIDGE
A small boy tries to discover the meaning of "memory" so he can restore that of an elderly friend.
Raschka, Chris
YO? YES!
Two lonely characters, one black and one white, meet on the street and become friends.
Simmons, Jane
EBB AND FLO AND THE NEW FRIEND
A simply told, funny, and touching story about sharing.

GRIEF
Brown, Margaret Wise
THE DEAD BIRD
When they find a dead bird, a group of children bury it in the woods, sing a song to it, and put flowers on the grave.


THE HAPPY FUNERAL

by Eve Bunting

Bunting, Eve
THE HAPPY FUNERAL
Laura, a young Chinese-American girl, mourns the death of her grandfather as she helps her family prepare for his funeral and discovers that her sorrow is mixed with loving memories.

Carlstron, Nancy White
BLOW ME A KISS, MISS LILLY
When her best friend, an old lady named Miss Lilly, passes away, Sara learns that the memory of a loved one never dies.
MRS. HUGGINS AND HER HEN HANNAH by Lydia Dabcovich
Dabcovich, Lydia
MRS. HUGGINS AND HER HEN HANNAH
Mrs. Huggins' contented relationship with her hen Hannah comes to an unfortunate end but is reborn in an unexpected way.
DePaola, Tomie
NANA UPSTAIRS & NANA DOWNSTAIRS
A small boy enjoys his relationship with his grandmother and his great-grandmother, but he learns to face their inevitable death.

Hesse, Karen
POPPY'S CHAIR
On her first summer visit to her grandmother since her grandfather's death, Leah is saddened by his absence, but Gramm helps her learn how to remember Poppy with joy.

Napoli, Donna Jo
FLAMINGO DREAM
Grieving over her father's death from cancer, a young girl celebrates their last year together by making a book that includes mementos and a story.
Varley, Susan
BADGER'S PARTING GIFTS
Badger's friends are sad when he dies, but they treasure the legacies he left them.
Wilhelm, Hans.
I'LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU
A child's sadness at the death of a beloved dog is tempered by the remembrance of saying to it every nignt, "I'll always love you."
Zolotow, Charlotte
THE OLD DOG
When a young boy finds his old dog dead one morning, he spends the rest of the day thinking about all the good times they had together.

GROWING UP
Kraus, Robert
LEO THE LATE BLOOMER
Leo, a young tiger, finally blooms under the anxious eyes of his parents.

MISBEHAVIOR
Hazen, Barbara Shook
EVEN I DID SOMETHING AWFUL
A mother declares she will always love her child, no matter what happens.
Shannon, David
NO, DAVID!
A young boy is depicted doing a variety of naughty things for which he is repeatedly admonished, but finally he gets a hug.

MOODS
Curtis ,Jamie Lee
TODAY I FEEL SILLY & OTHER MOODS THAT MAKE MY DAY
A child's emotions range from silliness to anger to excitement, coloring and changing each day.

SELF-ESTEEM
Carlson, Nancy
I LIKE ME!
By admiring her finer points and showing that she can take care of herself and have fun even when there's no one else around, a charming pig proves the best friend you can have is yourself.
Curtis, Jamie Lee
I'M GONNA LIKE ME: LETTING OFF A LITTLE SELF ESTEEM
A young girl learns to like herself every single day, no matter what.
Lukas, K. H.
FLY-FISHING WITH TROUT-TAIL: A CHILD'S JOURNEY

A young boy learns how to fly-fish and finds out that there is much more to it than just catching fish, such as feeling proud about yourself and loving nature.
Rathmann ,Peggy
RUBY, THE COPYCAT
Ruby insists on copying Angela, until her teacher helps her discover her own creative resources.

SEPARATION ANXIETY
Penn, Audrey
THE KISSING HAND
When Chester the raccoon is reluctant to go to kindergarten for the first time, his mother teaches him a secret way to carry her love with him.
Waber, Bernard
IRA SLEEPS OVER
A little boy is excited at the prospect of spending the night at his friend's house but worries how he'll get along without his teddy bear.
Waddell, Martin
OWL BABIES
Three owl babies whose mother has gone out in the night, try to stay calm while she is gone.

SIBLING RIVALRY
NOBODY ASKED ME IF I WANTED A BABY SISTER
by Martha Alexander
Alexander, Martha G.
NOBODY ASKED ME IF I WANTED A BABY SISTER
Resenting the attention and praise lavished on his new baby sister, Oliver tries to give her away to several people in the neighborhood.
Gregory, Valiska
SHIRLEY'S WONDERFUL BABY
Shirley doesn't share her family's sentiment that their new baby is wonderful until Ms. Mump, the babysitter, comes to visit.
Henkes, Kevin
JULIUS, THE BABY OF THE WORLD
Lilly is convinced that the arrival of her new baby brother is the worst thing that has happened in their house, until Cousin Garland comes to visit.
Polacco, Patricia
MY ROTTEN REDHEADED OLDER BROTHER
After losing running, climbing, throwing, and burping competitions to her obnoxious older brother, a young girl makes a wish on a falling star.

Rockwell, Lizzy
HELLO BABY!
A young boy describes how a new baby is growing inside his mommy and tells what it is like when his new sister comes home from the hospital.

 

 


TEASING and BULLIES
Bottner, Barbara
BOOTSIE BARKER BITES
Bootsie Barker only wants to play games in which she bites, until one day her friend comes up with a better game.
Henkes, Kevin
CHRYSANTHEMUM
Chrysanthemum loves her name, until she starts going to school and the other children make fun of it.
Lester, Helen
HOOWAY FOR WODNEY WAT
All his classmates make fun of Rodney because he can't pronounce his name, but it is Rodney's speech impediment that drives away the class bully.
O'Neill, Alexis
THE RECESS QUEEN
Mean Jean is the biggest bully on the school playground until a new girl arrives and challenges Jean's status as the Recess Queen.

 

 

 

Inglewood Public Library
Childrens'/Youth Services
101 W. Manchester Blvd.
(310) 412-5645
www.inglewoodlibrary.org

 

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